Taking a serious view of the flow of liquor and freebies ahead of the byelections to the two Lok Sabha constituencies, the Mandya and Ramanagaram district administrations have initiated a series of measures to curb possible electoral malpractices.
Elections to the Mandya and Bangalore Rural constituencies are slated for August 21. Electioneering has gained momentum in the two districts with the contestants virtually deciding to storm the constituencies.
As electioneering is picking up, incidents of illegal sale of liquor is increasing. Excise police officials in the two districts have booked around 200 cases of illegal sale of liquor in the past two weeks.
The district administrations, following rampant suspected electoral malpractice cases, have established flying squads, check-posts across the constituencies besides setting up control rooms at the offices of the Deputy Commissioners.
The Mandya police have set up 27 check-posts, while the Ramanagaram district police have established 10 check-posts.
The check-post personnel will carry out round-the-clock frisking operations, Superintendent of Police Borase Bhushan Gulabrao (Mandya) told The Hindu on Sunday.
The Mandya police have booked 144 cases of illegal sale of liquor and recovered alcoholic beverages worth Rs. 1.45 lakh from 119 accused persons, Mr. Gulabrao said.
The Ramanagaram police have also booked a 100 cases.
“We have formed special squads to curb illegal activities,” Anupam Agarwal, Superintendent of Police (Ramanagaram), said.
The Police Department has increased the number of night beat personnel all over the constituencies.
Meanwhile, the Excise Department has set up special squads to prevent illegal sale and supply of liquor in Mandya and Ramanagaram districts. On the other hand, the district administrations have formed “flying squads” as a proactive measure to ensure smooth conduct of the byelections.
The Mandya district administration has formed 30 mobile squads and appointed 116 sector officers.
There will be round-the-clock patrolling on major roads and the flying squad personnel will videograph frisking besides recording the registration numbers of vehicles, an officer of the Mandya district administration said.
Control rooms
Mandya Deputy Commissioner B.N. Krishnaiah said that a control room has been set up at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office to receive complaints on the violation of code of conduct. Interested persons can provide details to the control room on Ph: 08232-224913.
The phone number of the Ramanagaram control room is 080-27271100.
